Printing mechanism



July n, 1939 M. GARBELL 2,165,922

PRINTING MECHANISM 2 Shasta-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1936 jnueniany GarfieZly 11, 1939. M. GARBELL 2,165,922

PRINTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1936 Patented July 11, 1939 PRINTING MECHANISM Max Garbcll, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Victor Adding Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 23, 1936, Serial No. 70,269

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a printing mechanism, and more particularly to the type of printing mechanism shown and described in my pending application Ser. No. 56,465, filed December 28, 1935.

The chief object of the present invention is the provision of a printing mechanism composed of a plurality of printing units arranged to 'be constantly urged and selectively released to coact with a platen for an impact thereagainst, and having means carried on each unit for instantly retracting them in spaced relation with the platen after the impact and prior to their being restored to their normal positions.

A further object is the provision of printing units arranged to be retained in spaced relation with and normally urged toward a platen, being releasable for a given distance of movement and having means on each unit permitting them to move beyond the distance of movement to which they are released, and to impact the platen.

A still further object is the provision of printing units normally urged and releasably retained for a given distance of movement toward a platen and having positive means including yieldable means on each of the units permitting them to be positively moved for a given distance and to yieldin'gly move beyond their given distance of movement to impact the platen and to yieldingly restore themselves prior to being positively returned to their normal positions.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial detail medial sectional view of a. machine embodying my improved printing mechanism.

Figure 2 is a View simlar to Figure 1, illustrating a changed position; and

bar l3. and controls a sector l to selectively position one of a series of characters l5a thereon in printing relation with a platen P with the character corresponding to the key depressed.

As each of the printing units are arranged and operated in the same manner, it is thought that description of one of the printing units and its The sector I? is pivotally supported at 28 on a supporting arm 29 that is pivotally carried for swinging movements on a shaft 39, supported in the side walls 23 of the machine.

A depending arm 3| is pivotally carried on the shaft 30, adjacent the arm 29, and is operatively connected with the arm 29 in a novel manner, and forms the subject matter of this application.

The tripping or releasing operation of the arm 29 to bodily carry the sector I5 toward the platen, is accomplished in the same manner as that shown and described in my pending application Ser. No. 56,465, filed December 28, 1935, and the improvement being that the unit is moved for a given distance toward the platen with the sector [5 in spaced relation therewith, and it is this movement of the unit that gives the impetus to the sector to impact the platen in a manner as will be more clearly described.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of one of V the printing units and its coacting parts.

My printing mechanism is illustrated as being attached to an adding machine, employing depressible keys l9 arranged in banks and provided with the stems II that extend through and are suitably guided in a keyboard 52, with the lower ends Ila of the key stems adapted to coact with a rack bar l3, when depressed. Below each bank of keys It, a rack bar I3 is arranged for reciprocating movements under the control of a driving mechanism, (not shown), and are normally locked by means of lock members 14 that are operatively connected with the keyboard and controlled by any key in the bank to release the rack bar coacting therewith. l

A printing unit of the printing mechanism is operatively connected to each reciprocating rack The supporting arm 29 and a depending arm are arranged to form a break-joint, designated as a whole as A. The depending arm 3| serves as a control arm for the supporting arm 29 and has an integral portion-31d formed in the shape a U, which serves to pivotally support the same The extension 29a of the supporting arm 29 and the U-shaped portion 3 la of the control arm forms a positive driving connection for a given distance of movement of the supporting arm, while the spring 2911 which yieldingly holds them together, forms means for permitting an advance movement of the arm 29 with respect to the control arm 3|.

The control arm 3| has a spring 3|b fixed to the lower end thereof and to a cross-member 23a, carried in the side walls 23, which retains the arm 3| in engagement with a shaft 32 carried on and adjacent the lower ends of a pair of depending arms 33 fixed to a shaft 34 that is pivotally carried in the side walls 23 of the machine. The arms 33 have their free ends connected at 35 to a pair of links 36 (only one of the arms 33 and links 36 being shown), which are operatively connected to the actuating mechanism of the machine. The arms 33 also carry a shaft 31 which normally underlies the edge 38 of an extension 39 on the control arm 3| and serves with the shaft 32 to retain the arm 3| in an upright position.

It will be noted that the sectors I5 are retained in their retracted positions, (Fig. 1), with respect to the platen by means of the shafts 32 and 31, engaging the control arm 3| and its extension 39.

A dog 40 and a rockable member 43 are pivotally carried on a shaft 4| and are spring-urged by means of the spring 42, to securely lock the control arm 3| in normal position with the supporting arm 29 and sector |5 in retracted position.

The rockable member 43 has a portion 43a that is provided with a notch 44 on its top surface, that engages an ear on the control arm 3|, and is releasable therefrom upon the movement of the spider 2 I, which has an arm 41 that carries a roller 48 thereon which normally rests in a recess 49 on the member 43, and which roller 48 is adapted to engage a cam surface 59 upon its movement.

As thus far described, it will be seen that as the rack bars l3 are moved, they will be arrested by the stems Ha of the depressed keys, and the link H on these rack bars I 3 will carry the spider member 2| therewith and cause the roller 48 on the leg 41 thereof, to ride out of the recess 49 and over the cam surface 59 to rock the member 43 and disengage the notch 44 thereof, from the ear 45. The rocking movement of the spider 2| simultaneously effects the positioning of the sector 5 by means of the link 24 connected thereto, and to the spider.

During the releasing movement of the rockable member 43 with the ear 45 on the control arm 3|, and the positioning of one of the characters I50. of the sector |5 in printing position with respect to the platen, the arm 3| and the supporting arm 29 remain in their normal positions and are only released upon a further movement of the actuating mechanism of the machine, (not shown), which movement effects a pull on the links 36 and a swinging movement of the arms 33 therewith, to carry the shafts 32 and 31 out of engagement with the depending member 3|. The movement of the shaft 31 forces the dog 4|) out of engagement with the extension 39 and releases the control arm 3| to be urged by means of its spring 3|a. until it again contacts the shaft 32 which has been moved and which limits the movement of the control arm 3| in that direction.

As the dog 40 is released, as above described, the arm 3| will be drawn for an impact against the moved shaft 32 by means of the spring 3|a,

which movement will carry the supporting arm 29 therewith for a positive movement, by means of the engagement of the extension 29a thereof with the U-shaped portion 3 la, and as the arm 3| is abruptly stopped by the shaft 32, the impetus given to the arm 29 and sector l5 will cause the spring 29bto yield and permit the selected character |5a of the sector, to impact the platen and to be instantly withdrawn therefrom by means of the tension of the spring 29b thereby restoring the sector l5 and arm 29 to the position to which the control arm 3| has been permitted to move.

Upon the restoring movement of the actuating mechanism of the machine, the links 36 will again be restored to their normal positions and carry the depending arms 33 and the shafts 32 and 31 therewith, which will cause the control arm 3| of the released units to rock on the shaft 30 and the arms 29 coacting therewith to be carried thereby, to bodily restore the sectors |5 to their normal at-rest positions. A further movement of the actuating mechanism restores the rack bars I 3 and spiders 2|, which restores the sectors l5 through the links 24 and also the roller 48 carried on the leg 41, to be restored into the recess 49 of the rockable member 43 and permit this member to be urged by its spring 42 with its notch 44 into engagement with the ear 45 of the control arm 3|. The spring 42 also restores the dog 40 into locked position over the extension 39 of the control arm 3| and serves with the rockable member 43 to rigidly hold the arm 3| in normal locked position and with the arm 29 and sector |5 carried thereon, in its normal retracted position with respect to the platen.

I claim:

1. In a printing mechanism, the combination with a type carrier pivotally mounted for swinging movements, a member pivotally mounted in relation thereto, said type carrier and member being arranged for a positive movement with each other in one direction of their pivotal move ments, spring means connecting the type carrier and member permitting of an advance movement of said type carrier with respect to said member and to retract the same, latch means for holding the member and type carrier in normal position, and a swingable control means normally in the path of said latch means and member for retaining said member to retain the type carrier in normal position, said control means serving to release said latch means and for limiting the movement of said member while the type carrier moves in advance thereof.

2, In a printing mechanism, the combination with a type carrier, and a member movably mounted in relation thereto and having means thereon connecting the same for a positive movement in one direction, yieldable means connecting the type carrier and member for a yielding movement of said type carrier in advance of said member, a control means, lock means for holding said member in normal position, a spring urging said member against said control means, said control means serving to release said lock means and to control the movement of said member whereby said type carrier will move in advance thereof and be retracted by said yieldable means.

3. In a printing mechanism, the combination with a type carrier pivotally mounted for swinging movements and a spring-impelled member pivotally mounted in relation thereto, said type carrier and member being connected for a positive movement in one direction of their pivotal movements, spring means connecting said type carrier and member for movement in the other direction and permitting of an advance movement of the type carrier with respect to said member, latch means for holding the member against its spring and type carrier in normal position, control means in the path of said latch means and member and coacting with said latch means to retain said member in normal position, said control means sequentially releasing the member and latch means respectively and forming means for limiting the spring-impelled movement of said member while the type carrier moves in advance thereof.

4. In a printing mechanism adapted to coact with a platen, the combination with a type carrier having a member movably mounted in relation thereto in one direction, a spring connecting the type carrier and member permitting of an advance movement of said type carrier with respect to said member and to retract the same, spring means urging the member to urge the type carrier against the platen, of a control memberactuator in the path of the member normally preventing movement of said member and type carrier toward the platen, a latch for holding said member, said control membenactuator forming means for releasing the member and latch respectively and forming means to limit movement of said member while said type carrier moves in advance thereof for an impact against the platen.

MAX GARBELL. 

